Protected third-rail system.



PATENTED APR. 25, 1905.

E No. 788,290.

I. (L THORNE.

PROTECTED THIRD RAIL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

JUVVENTOH.

By E m/ PATENTEDAPR. 25, 1905.

1. c, THORNB.

PROTECTED THIRD RAIL SYSTEM.

APRLIOATION FILED JAN. 3. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7 4:5 INVENTOH. E 17440 BY fl MM ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES:

.UNITED STATES Patented April 25, 1905.

ISAAC C. THORNE, OF GLENCOVE, NEWV YORK.

PROTECTED THIRD-RAIL SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,290, dated April25, 1905.

7 Application filed January 2,1904. Serial No. 187,470.

To (LN/1077,0711, it may concern:

Be it known that I, IsAAo O. THORNE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Glencove, in the county of Nassau and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ProtectedThird-Rail Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for rendering exposed conductors ofelectric currents of high voltage substantially harmless, and hasparticular reference to electric-railway systems in which an exposedconductor, generally termed the third rail, is employed for the purposeof conveying the current to the motors contained in the car or cars foreffect ing propulsion. Heretofore it has been proposed to render thisthird rail or exposed conductor harmless by providing the same with aguard serving to protect against accidental contact of a person orpersons with the live rail or conductor.

One object of my present invention is to retain the third rail orconductor in its present exposed condition and to provide in connectionwith the same an exposed safety-conductor arranged adjacent with thesaid third rail or conductor and extending substantially parallel withthe same, so that any communication between the third rail or conductorand the safety-conductor at any point will immediately cut out theentire system or any predetermined section or sections thereof, therebyavoiding any serious accident to a person or persons by reason of theelectric current and also stalling any and all trains on the line or anypredetermined section or sections thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the entireline or any predetermined section or sections thereof may be cut out bythe motor-man in charge on the individual car or cars by electricallyconnecting the third rail or exposed conductor and the exposedsafety-conductor through means under the control of said operator.

Another object of my invention is to permit any predetermined sectionorsections of the entire line to be cut out at any part of the sectionor sections, as, for instance, in case of neighboring fires orconflagrations, where the current from the exposed conductor or thirdrail would prove dangerous to the firemen by simply effecting electricalconnection between the third rail or conductor and the safety conductorby means of a metallic bridge-piece laid. across the two exposedconductors.

To this end my invention consists, essentially, in the combination, withan exposed primary conductor from which electric current issuperficially delivered, of a second exposed safety-conductor arrangedadjacent to the primary conductor and means for cutting out the primaryconductor in whole or part when the two exposed conductors are connectedfor the passage of the current.

The nature of my invention will best be understood when described inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 representsa diagrammatic view of an electric-railway system embodying my inventionand showing means for cutting out one section at a time. Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing means for cutting out two predetermined sectionssimultaneously. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken through acar body and truck and the road-bed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of Fig.3.

Similar letters and numerals of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring at present to Fig. 1, the letters A and B designate the railsof a railway, of which the one B may be employed as. a return-conductorfor the current, as usual. 0 is the third rail or exposed conductor,which may be made continuous or, preferably, as

and F designate cut-outs, one for each section 1 2 3, &c., of the thirdrail or conductor C and placed in communication with the feeder E andwith the sections of thethird rail or conductor and the sections 11, 12,and 13 of the safety-conductor. Each cut-out consists of a contact-lever(0, having its armature 6 adapted to be actuated by a solenoid orelectromagnet 0 for the purpose of breaking a contact at (Z. Theconnection of each cut-out with the feeder E, the safety-conductor D,and the third rail or conductor C or the sections thereof is as follows:From the feeder E a Wire 14 is led to the contact-lever a or itsbearing, and from the contact d is conducted a wire 15 to the'respectivesection 1, 2, or 3, &c., of the third rail or conductor (l. One end ofthe solenoid or winding of the electromagnet 0 is grounded, as at g, andthe opposite end of the solenoid or winding is connected by a wire 16with the safety-conductor D. In view of the connections above describedthe current from the dynamo will pass along the feeder E in thedirection of arrow 20, Fig. 1, and under normal conditions pass throughthe wires 14, levers a, contacts (Z, and wires 15 to the third rail orconductor C or the sections thereof, thus vitalizing said sections 1 23, &c., and permitting the current to pass to the motors of the car orcars through the shoe .9 of a usual construction attached to the car orcars. The safety-conductor D or its sections 11 1213 are dead or withoutcurrent under ordinary circumstances. If for some reason the third railor conductor 0 or any one of its sections is placed in electricalcommunication with the safety-conductor D or any one of its sections,then a circuit is established from the feeder E through the third railor conductor or its corresponding section and the safety-conductor D orits corresponding section and from thence through the wires 16, thesolenoid or I coil of the corresponding electromagnet 0 to the ground,thus vitaliZing the solenoid or coil 0 and causing the cut-out lever ato leave the contact (Z. The circuit through the feeder E and the wires14 and 15 to the third rail or the corresponding section thereof isconsequentl y broken, and said third rail or conductor becomesdevitalized and is rendered harmless. The cut-out is then in theposition shown at F in Fig. 1, the section 3 of the third rail orconductor and the section 13 of the safetyconductor D being devitalized,while the remaining sections are'in working condition. In case ofneighboring fires the corresponding section or sections of the thirdrail or conductor may be switched out by a bridge-piece, as S, ofconducting material, laid across such sections, thus providing propersafety for the firemen. In order to indicate the existing condition ofany section, I make use of signals, as G, connected by Wires 17 and 18with the return-rail and the third rail or conductor. These signals maybe in the form of electric lamps or mechanical signals of any wellknowndescription adapted to be electrically operated.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a system similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1,but so arranged that in case of an electrical connection between thethird rail or conductor C and the safety-conductor D at anyone of theirsections the corresponding section as Well the preceding section isdevitalized, thus affording protection against rear-end collisions. Inthis system the safety-conductor D is composed of two lines of sectionalconductors Z and Z, having their interruptions staggered, so that whensaid two lines and the third rail or conductor C are bridged by aconducting material two cut-outs F and F are operated to devitalizetheir corresponding two sections 2 and 3 of the third rail-or conductorC. This system is of particular advantage in case of fog, where a trainmay be stopped at the beginning of a section or while partly on twosections.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown the constructive parts of the road-bed intheir proper relative positions and the car provided with means underthe control of the motorman for the purpose of cutting out the thirdrail or conductor 0 by manual means. In the present instance I haveshown a bridge-piece H, adapted to span the third rail or conductor Cand the safety-conductor D, which said bridgepiece is hinged at e to asuitable bracket on the truck-frame T of the car and has itsinwardly-projecting arm attached, by means of a link f, to a crank g,mounted on a sheave or chain-wheel it, adapted to be turned through themedium of asccond sheave or chain-wheel 11, provided with a suitablehandle 1', combined with a connecting-chain 71. The handle 7' is placedWithin convenient reach of the motorman, who can operate the mechanismto cause the bridge-piece to span the two exposed conductors, thusthrowing out the entire line or one or more sections, according to thearrangement of the system. \Vith the single-section system the motormancould run sufficiently onto the section and then. cut out the section bydepressing the bridge-piece. With the double-section system the motormancan dcpress the bridge-piece at any point of the section, since thepreceding section becomes devitalized simultaneously with the sectionthat he is on. It is of course to be understood that any other suitablemeans for operating the bridge-piece may be substituted for those hereshown.

While I have herein described my invention as applied to railwaysystems, it is of course to be understood that it may be applied in theindustrial arts for many other p u rposes, the third rail or conductorbeing then simply a primary exposed CO11dL1Qi30l,fl.(l tcent to which isarranged the safety or dead IIO conductor, the proximity being such thatcontact with the primary conductor involves also contact with thesafety-conductor, thus protecting workmen from dangerous contact underall circumstances.

What I claim as new is 1. The combination with an exposed primaryconductor from which current is superficially derived, of a secondexposed safetyconductor arranged adjacent to the first conductor andforming part of an auxiliary normally open circuit, a feeder normally inelectrical connection with the said primary conductor, and means forcutting out the primary conductor when the two conductors are connectedfor the passage of the current from the primary conductor to thesafety-conductor.

2. The combination with an exposed primary conductor from which currentis superficially derived, of a second exposed safetyconductor arrangedadjacent to the first conductor and forming part of an auxiliarynormally open circuit, a feeder normally in electrical connection withthe primary conductor, and means for cutting out the primary conductorwhen the two conductors are connected for the passage of the currentfrom the primary conductor to the safety-conductor by a bridge-pieceadapted to span both conductors.

3. The combination with an exposed primary conductor from which currentis superficially derived, of a second exposed safetyconductor arrangedadjacent to the first conductor and forming part of an auxiliarynormally open circuit, a feeder normally in electrical connection withthe primary conductor, and cut-outs for devitalizing the primary conductor when the two conductors are electrically connected for thepassage of the current from the primary conductor to thesafetyconductor.

4. In an electric-railway system, the combination of a single line ofexposed primary conductors for supplying current to the motor of thecar; a safety-conductor arrangedadjacent to this exposed line andforming part of an auxiliary normally open circuit; a feeder forsupplying current to the said primary cond uctor normally in electricalconnection with the exposed primary conductor, and means within the saidauxiliary normally open circuit for cutting out the primary conductorwhen the latter and the safety-conductor are electrically connected forthe passage of the current.

5. In an electric-railway system, the combination of a single line ofexposed conductors for supplying current to the motor of the car; asafety-conductor arranged adjacent to the exposed line and forming partof an auxiliary normally open circuit; a feeder normally in electricalconnection with the said primary conductor, and electrical groundconnection with intermediate coil forming part of said auxiliarynormally open circuit and actuatingswitch for cutting out the primaryconductor when the two conductors are connected for the passage of acurrent from the primary conductor to the safety-conductor.

6. The combination with an exposed sectional primary conductor fromwhich current is superficially derived, of a second sectional exposedsafety-conductor arranged adjacent to the first conductor incorresponding-sections and forming part of an auxiliary normally opencircuit, a feeder normally in electrical connection with the saidprimary .conductor, and means for cutting out individual sections whenthe corresponding sections of the two conductors are connected for thepassage of the current from the primary conductor to thesafety-conductor.

7 In an electric-railway system, the combination of a single line ofexposed sectional conductors for supplying current to the motor of thecar, a second sectional exposed safetyconductor arranged adjacent to thefirst conductor and forming part of an auxiliary normally open circuit,a continuous feeder normally in electrical connection with the primaryconductors, and means within the said auxiliary normally open circuitfor cutting out individual sections when the two sections of the primaryconductor and safety-conductor are electrically connected for thepassage of the current from the primary conductor to thesafety-conductor.

8. In an electrical-railway system, the combi nation with a single lineof exposed sectional conductors for supplying current to the motor ofthe car, a line of sectional safety-conductors arranged adjacent to theformer forming part of an auxiliary normally open circuit, a continuousfeeder normally in electrical connection with the primary conductors,and means in connection with the feeder; the sections of the primaryconductor and the said safetyconductor and the ground for cutting outthe primary conductor when the corresponding sections of the twoconductors are connected for the passage of the current from the primaryconductor to the safety-conductor.

9. In an electric-railway system, the combination of a single line ofexposed primary conductors for supplying current to the motor of thecar, a safety-conductor arranged adjacent to the former conductor andforming part of an auxiliary normally open-circuit; a feeder forsupplying current to the primary conductor and normally in electricconnection with the latter, means on the car adapted to span bothconductors; and means within the said auxiliary normally open circuitfor cutting out the primary conductor when the two conductors are thusspanned.

10. In an electric-railway system, the combination of a sectionalexposed primary conductor for supplying current to the motor of the car,a sectional safety-conductor arranged adjacent to the former conductor,a continuous feeder for supplying current to the sections of the primaryconductor normally in electric connection with the latter, and means forcutting out a plurality of corresponding sections of the primaryconductor and the safety-conductor when electrical communication isestablished between the two conductors of one section.

11. In an electric-railway system, the combination of a sectionalexposed primary conductor for supplying current to the car, a sectionalsafety-conductor arranged adjacent to the former conductor, a continuousfeeder for supplying current to the sections of the primary conductornormally in electric connection With the latter, means for cutting out aplurality of corresponding sections of the primary conductor and thesafety conductor when electrical communication is established betweenthe two conductors of one section, and interpolated signals.

12. The combination with an exposed sectional primary conductor fromWhich current is superficially derived, of a second sectional exposedsafety-conductor arranged adjacent to the first conductor incorresponding sections and forming part of an auxiliary nor mally opencircuit, a feeder normally in electrical connection With the saidprimary conductor, means for cutting out individual sections When thecorresponding sections of the two conductors are connected for thepassage of the current, and interpolated signals.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ISAAC C. THORNE.

Witnesses:

B. J. HILL, A. FABER DU FAUR, Jr.

